Sdra to cut pulp production

Swedish pulp producer Sdra Cell is to take 60,000 tonnes of pulp out of the market due to low demand and maintenance-related shutdowns.

Marketing director Ulf Edman said customers had de-stocked in the second quarter.

Norscan figures for May showed that market pulp shipments totalled 1.68m tonnes, a 27-month low.

Production will stop for one week at Mrrum mill in Sweden, taking out 10,000 tonnes. Maintenance stoppages are also planned at its Mnsters and Vr sister mills. Mnsters will shut for two weeks in September, and Vr for two weeks in October.

Edman said the curtailments would help create price stability. Prices for pulp are around $520 per tonne for softwood and $500 per tonne for hardwood.